Updated November 06, 2024 at 17:13 PM ET
Vice president Harris formally conceded the 2024 election on Wednesday, urging her supporters not to despair her loss to President-elect Donald Trump, and to "never give up the fight for our democracy."
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” Harris said. “But hear me when I say … the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
Harris spoke from the Washington, D.C. campus of Howard University, her alma mater and the site of what supporters had hoped would be her victory party less than 24 hours earlier. She walked onstage in a dark suit, to Beyoncé’s “Freedom” and loud cheers from the crowd.
Harris’ speech struck an upbeat tone from start to finish. She thanked her family and those of President Biden Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and praised her team and volunteers for what she called a race to be proud of.
“Over the 107 days of this campaign we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions, bringing people together from every walk of life and background — united by love of country, with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future,” Harris said. “And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us.”
The race didn’t end in victory for Harris: The Associated Press called the race for Trump early Wednesday morning, after he won the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. By midday, he had earned 292 electoral votes — well over the 270 needed for the presidency — compared to Harris' 224.
Harris stressed the importance of accepting that result, calling it “a fundamental principle of American democracy,” along with loyalty to the U.S. constitution, conscience and God.
“My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said. “The fight for freedom, for opportunity for fairness and for the dignity of all people, a fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best — that is a fight I will never give up.”
Harris spoke of a future where women have bodily autonomy, streets and schools are safe from gun violence and “every one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out, has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”
She said that fight will be waged in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square but also in quieter ways, like treating strangers with respect and lifting people up. And she acknowledged that “sometimes the fight takes a while — that doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
Addressing young people specifically, Harris said the important thing is to never stop trying to make the world better.
“You have power, and don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before,” said Harris, the country’s first female vice president. “This is not a time to throw up our hands, this is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
She urged people to mobilize, organize and stay engaged even in difficult moments, citing what she called an old adage: “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
“I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case,” Harris added. “But here’s the thing, America: If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billion of stars, the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service. And may that work guide us, even in the face of setbacks, toward the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.”
Harris and Biden called Trump to congratulate him
Harris called Trump to concede on Wednesday afternoon.
Harris said in her speech that she promised to help Trump’s team with their transition and to engage in a peaceful transition of power, a line that drew loud applause from the crowd.
A Harris aide previously said she talked about the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans. The Trump campaign said he acknowledged Harris’ “strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign,” and that the two agreed on “the importance of unifying the country.”
President Biden also spoke to Trump on Wednesday, the White House said, affirming his commitment to a smooth transition and inviting Trump to a White House meeting in the near future. Biden plans to discuss the election results and transition in remarks to the nation on Thursday, it added.
Harris’ concession speech marks a return to a political tradition that was the norm until 2020, when Trump refused to accept his defeat.
His camp spent months mounting ultimately unsuccessful legal challenges and spreading baseless claims of election fraud, culminating in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump finally conceded the following day, after Congress certified his loss.
Harris conceded from the site of her Election Night watch party
Harris had planned to spend Election Night at Howard, a historically Black college that she has often credited with shaping her personal and professional identities.
But, as NPR’s Deepa Shivaram reported, the mood at the event shifted from celebratory to one of intense focus around 11 p.m. ET as the results rolled in. The crowd turned its attention away from the onstage performances and towards the TV screens, watching in silence.
“The energy got really low,” Shivaram told Morning Edition. “And at one point, the crowd started shouting for the DJ to turn the music back on. So they muted CNN. They started blasting music, but it was sort of this jilted kind of atmosphere.”
Supporters started leaving even before a Harris official took to the podium to announce that the vice president wouldn’t be speaking that night.
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